Exploit Your Readers To The Full
16. Oct, 2007 
3 Comments - Leave your comment
You probably know that you shouldn’t take your readers for granted. They may come and go, despite your efforts to keep them loyal. They may lose interest in your topics, or in yourself, or maybe they’d become too busy one day, so they’d skip reading blogs.
Question: what do you do with your readers NOW, when you have them?
If you answered “nothing”, or “hope they click my ads”, or “hope they buy my product”, just read this and see what else you can use your readers for:
1. Spot and use the talents
Not all readers are alike. You may find some of them being very knowleadgeable in your field, or very passionate about your topics. You can see that from their comments, or from their own blogs (if any). Why not ask him for a guest post? Or maybe an interview? Your other readers will appreciate pertinent advice and they will love you for offering them diversity.
2. Convert newbie spammers into guest bloggers
There are many kinds of spammers. Some of them may even have a conscience 
. Some others may be just trying to make a clumsy promotion to their site (which may not be spammy, but if it is promoted that way, all comments of that blogger are consistently being deleted). Mail such a spammer and explain her that instead of wasting time to write comments only to see them deleted within a couple of hours, she’d better send you an article with an author cassette, which you are going to publish on your blog.
3. Organize group writing projects
Your loyal readers will be the first to participate. Besides, those of them who may be concerned with SEO, will definitely promote your project in social media, because they are aware that this means also publicity for their own posts, entries in your group project. So, help them to help you.
4. Ask for their expertise when you could use it
Did you spot one of your readers who seems to be skilled in WordPress fine tuning? Why not discuss with him the issues you have with WordPress updates & plugins? Not only will your reader give you advice for free, but he will also see that he’s being noticed. People like to get noticed. People like to help. Do them a favor, and let them help you.
5. Offer them your support when they need it
If you are like me, you probably peek at your readers’ blogs every once in a while. Why not offer yourself to help one of your readers sort out an issue related to his blog? Maybe you spot some broken links, or some misalignments. Would you think that sending that reader-blogger an email describing the problem and some solution, would make him send you a nice thought? Maybe he will remember that, the day he wishes to purge his feed reader. Besides, you’ll be perceived as an expert, even if your expertise in that area is not that wide.
Briefly, the common point of all the above is to look at the faces behind your readership figures. Remeber that one of the principles of delivering good communication is maintaining the eye contact. Sometimes you may like what you see.
When was the last time you exploited one of your readers?
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Well, I would say that exploit (as I use it) tends to have a negative connotation, but the concept of using readers to their full potential is an excellent idea.
I’m personally a big fan of #5. It’s a good networking opportunity and the readers usually return the favor in some shape or form.
Good tips and nice overall website. Love the idea “reader appreciation project”
NB: good linkbait title as well
Hey Ronald, I did not know it sounds that negative. In Romanian, it can be used with the positive meaning sometimes.
@joost: thank you for stopping by. You are welcome to subscribe to our feed, as more good stuff is ready to be published.